Sex offender arrested in kin's death

STOCKTON - Police arrested a man on suspicion of murder Tuesday evening, just hours after a 76-year-old woman was found dead in Stockton, authorities said.

Jason Anderson

STOCKTON - Police arrested a man on suspicion of murder Tuesday evening, just hours after a 76-year-old woman was found dead in Stockton, authorities said.

Homicide detectives arrested Jerome Deavila, a 39-year-old registered sex offender. Deavila is related to the victim, though it was unclear whether he is the woman's son or grandson, said Officer Joe Silva, a spokesman for the Stockton Police Department.

A relative of the victim discovered her body shortly before 1 p.m. in the 400 block of South Golden Gate Avenue, a residential street just south of Highway 4 and west of Highway 99, police said. Authorities did not release the woman's name Tuesday. They said they will wait for an autopsy to be completed before determining the cause of death.